October 31, 2015

Truth
be told, I’ve never been a great admirer of brownies.Maybe that’s why I’ve been selfishly skimming
over every brownie recipe to ever grace my path.But then, these Salted Caramel-Filled Fudge Brownies came along.The key word here is “salted caramel,”
Adrian’s favorite. Hence, I was mildly
intrigued and hugely tempted to give them a whirl and I instantly knew my
husband would truly appreciate my change of heart. What would I have to lose after all – his
sweet tooth would be fed and my curiosity satisfied when it came to brownies
and especially this atypical salted caramel-sandwich-like-specimen.

Since
tonight is Halloween, I totally understand if making these brownies for this
celebration is a challenge.But they can
easily be whipped up for Thanksgiving or Christmas or any other non-celebratory
occasion that comes to mind.In fact,
they’re the perfect midweek sweet treat if you’re to ask me!

These
Salted Caramel-Filled Fudge Brownies
are crackly on top, fudgy and soft with the right amount of toasty crunch inside,
and gooey and blissfully sticky when your teeth hit the sandwiched caramel in
the middle.They will melt on your
tongue and leave a trail of sweet and salty goodness behind. To be honest, chemistry was never my forte but
I find it rather fascinating how this deep amber liquid springs to life in
about twenty minutes.Not to mention the
way it acts as the glue that keeps together the two buttery chocolate brownies.However, I won’t hold it against you if you
decide to forgo the salted caramel and just enjoy these fudgy brownies on their
own.

These
sweet treats are a take on the popular caramel-filled brownies that you may
find at Bad Brownie in London.Good
thing I don’t have to fly all the way across the pond for a bite, although I’d
love to give them a try someday soon.Until then, these brownies are definitely a feast!Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

Salted Caramel-Filled Fudge Brownies

Adapted
from Food & Wine (June 2015)

Makes:
10-12 brownies

Ingredients:

Caramel:

·1 ¼ cups sugar

·3 Tablespoons water

·¾ cup heavy cream

·4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

·1 ½ teaspoons flaky sea salt

Brownies:

·2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for
greasing

·10 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate,
finely chopped

·1 ½ cups sugar

·¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·½ teaspoon kosher salt

·3 large eggs, chilled

·1 cup all-purpose flour

·½ cup roasted pistachios (optional)

Instructions for the caramel:

In a
medium saucepan, cook the sugar with the water over moderate heat, swirling the
pan frequently, until a dark amber caramel forms, about 18-20 minutes.Slowly drizzle in the cream, then whisk in
the butter and sea salt.Transfer the
caramel to a small bowl and refrigerate until thickened, about 2 hours.

Melt
the 2 sticks of butter in a heatproof medium bowl set over (not in) a saucepan
of simmering water.Add the chopped
chocolate, the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt and stir until
smooth.Remove the bowl from the heat
and whisk in the eggs one at a time.Whisk well after each one.Add
the flour and stir until just incorporated.If you are using the roasted pistachios, this is the time to gently fold
them in.

Scrape
the batter into the prepared pan and bake the brownies for 35-40 minutes, until
a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs
attached.Check the brownies after 35
minutes.Transfer the pan to a rack and
let cool completely.

Invert
the brownies onto a cutting board and cut in half to form 2 rectangles.Spread the chilled caramel over 1 rectangle,
then top with the other rectangle.Cut
into 10-12 bars and serve immediately.

Note:The caramel can be refrigerated for 2
weeks.The brownies can be refrigerated
for 3 days or frozen for 1 month.